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originally posted in:Psykana Librarius
4/16/2015 5:36:24 PM
16
Let's talk about Eugenics (and other genetic stuff)
[b]Topic 1: EUGENICS[/b]
For everyone's convenience, here is a dictionary definition of the subject:
[quote]Eugenics:
The science of improving a human population by controlled breeding to increase the occurrence of desirable heritable characteristics. Developed largely by Francis Galton as a method of improving the human race, it fell into disfavor only after the perversion of its doctrines by the [url=http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law]-godwinslaw!-[/url].[/quote]
Eugenics is a very hotly debated subject. The "word on the street" where I live is that people largely agree that those with serious medical defects shouldn't pass on those genes, but people hesitate to say at what point someone is considered unfit.
[b]Discussion guide:[/b]
What do you think about controlled breeding?
How do we decide if someone is genetically defective/what sort of arbitrary bar do we use to measure them?
[b]Topic 2: GENETICS[/b]
As our understanding of biological science continues to fly forward at an incredible rate, we are suddenly facing a future in which we can genetically modify our offspring to be better than us, or to have desirable traits.
[b]Discussion guide:[/b]
What are the ramifications of genetics research and modification?
Do you support genetics research?
If you had a disease, and the money to do so, would you have your offspring modified to not posses the disease?
This is a public post for the sake of gathering input from people outside of the Psykana Librarius, please be respectful and calm. A ninja is on standby, so behave.
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2 RepliesAs someone who didn't get lucky in the womb, I can understand the reasons as to why its hard to find what morally right or wrong. Everyone does deserve a chance at life, but if theres a chance to help their life get better than it would be good. I've been battling a pretty bad disorder/illness for a long long long time, if this could've been prevented it would have made my life a whole lot more manageable. From the moment I started walking, to my age 18, its a struggle for me everyday to wake up and fight my illness and have been so frequent to the doctor, everyone at the hospital knows who I am there. I do not know how long I'll live. . ____ .
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1 ReplyNo eugenics for me please, just put my consciousness into a robot ^_^ But other people can do that if they like.
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Directed evolution has some benefits and just as many problems. We would have to screen comprehensively all participants and make sterile all non participants, cutting down the gene pool in this way could lead to bad evolutionary decisions and genetic creep/errors would become more apparent and by that point it might be to late to correct. Also gene sets express differently even in close family members, for example I have a triplication on my 7th chromosome, one of the genes associated deals with neuron synaptic growth, I have had few issues and have a relatively high iq and very few problems, on the other hand my daughter has been diagnosed as a high functioning autistic and shares my genetic quirk. What if we decided to breed something similar into ourselves (aiming for a slightly higher than average iq in the populace) and didn't realize the long term ramifications of these modifications until we were to many generations in to back out? The current model of reproduction while not perfect helps prevent such possibilities.
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Edited by Magiktako: 4/17/2015 3:20:58 AMThis all delves into the aspects of ethnicity and morality. Some people question if it is right. I say that if it is used to stop fatal diseases and cancers from developing within the human race, then it should be used. However, parents might get greedy and change things that make us who we are; physical features, intelligence, etc. It would be awfully boring having the same perfect people around. The movie [i]Gattaca[/i] expertly visualizes how society could be if this science isn't used properly. To summarize, it's all about whether people think it's humanely right or not.
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4 RepliesIf it means you would have never been born and I wouldn't have had to read this crap / then yes - I support the notion
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Haven't you ever seen the wrath of khan?
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Natzi Eugenics
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Edited by SMD43614: 4/17/2015 12:51:22 AMBut for real though I don't think Eugenics is good for some reasons. Eugenics could help with disease and breeding issues. However, eugenics would also be severely abused, such as the case of wrath of khan, in all seriousness. Genetically modified people would simply intimidate others and cause issues. People can barely accept people of other races/ cultures. I don't believe as a whole, we are ready for eugenics. Then would it become the rich have access to genetic modification and poor people don't? Edit: but eventually once people can move past childish thoughts of what humanity is, we can embrace it. I hope we see a day when this is possible!
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Probably should stop inbreeding first haha [spoiler]I'll have to come back here later when I have time[/spoiler]
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4 Repliesvery edgy topic this, personally I don't really know enough about Eugenics to form a proper argument for or against, but i think I would probably end up against it. the idea of choosing your children's genetics as if they are in a "Character Creator" just feels slightly wrong to me. I don't know if that's because the Naz1s did it, or because it reflects superficial celebrity culture, or maybe I would rather just use my own "special sauce" and take a gamble. I do have a condition that could be inherited however, so that is something to think about..
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<small bump>
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Edited by Prometheus25: 4/16/2015 6:19:53 PMCtrl+C,V from the group wall to here: [quote] I'm against eugenics, but I foresee genetic research becoming very critical over the next century as treatment for the symptoms of genetic diseases (cancers, cystic fibrosis, growth disorders, etc), but not the causes, become more prevalent. Essentially, medicine is allowing those who would normally die off early to pass on their genetic code. And that's fine, so long as we develop techniques to reduce and eventually remove those damaged genes. [/quote]
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2 RepliesEdited by Progo: 4/16/2015 5:55:37 PM[quote]What do you think about controlled breeding?[/quote] I like it in high-risk populations, an example of a proper implementation is [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_genetics_of_Jews#Genetic_testing_in_Jewish_populations]this[/url]. [quote]How do we decide if someone is genetically defective/what sort of arbitrary bar do we use to measure them? [/quote] Since research into a full guide to the genetics of a healthy human is still ongoing, I would say we can only remove reproductive rights on grounds that a person is at high risk of having offspring with a mortal or painful condition. I am in favor of genetic modification of the embryo to remove the traits, so long as the parent will be a fit parent. (ie. a healthy person who is recessive marries another healthy heterozygous recessive). [quote]What are the ramifications of genetics research and modification? [/quote] We are at an incredible time for biological science, I easily see genetic research and procedures resulting in both fantastic treatments and augmentations, but also a lot of moral murky waters... [quote]Do you support genetics research?[/quote] Yes. I think we are now meant to take evolution into our own hands, and improve ourselves, and maybe even other species. [quote]If you had a disease, and the money to do so, would you have your offspring modified to not posses the disease?[/quote] Yes. I already intend to have a cardiovascular tissue disorder altered in my offspring. I also would love to be able to make the very best genetic traits from my wife and I have expressed in our children. Ie. my perfect teeth and xxMLGProEyeSightmxx, but not my scrub-tier pollen allergies.
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3 RepliesI say a BIG NO to eugenics.
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1 ReplyNo Onieda or John Humphrey Noyes?
